"Nobody knows who he is,'' Schwartz said at a press briefing at the state Capitol.

William Tong, a Democrat candidate, was included in the poll and garnered about 1 percent of his party's support.

Schwartz said Tong is a state Represenative "so that's sort of the difference in my mind...[he's] holding elective office."

Schwartz said Hill could be included in future surveys if he starts getting more media attention. "we'd consider putting him in,'' Schwartz said.

Hill, an attorney who ran a write-in campaign for U.S. Senate in 2010, released a statement this morning on the poll.

"Since announcing my candidacy for U.S. Senate, I have been crisscrossing the state of Connecticut, meeting with voters and listening to their concerns. One thing is abundantly clear -- my message of job creation and fiscal responsibility is resonating with the people of Connecticut," said Hill.

"Over the course of the next 15 months, I look forward to a spirited debate on the issues, and I look forward to being included in the next Quinnipiac University poll."